Massamba Diop Scouting Report
From Gran Canaria to one of the Big 12's best freshmen. Diop is a no-brainer NBA five, and there's a lot to like with him. Here's all you must know about his NBA role and long-term potential:
Massamba Diop (#35, Arizona State): Freshman, 7’1”
Power Forward/Center — Born: Jan 1, 2005 (21 years old)
Introduction
Mor Massamba Diop came in as a high-major-ready prospect at 20 years old. Before enrolling at Arizona State, the seven-plus-footer had a success at Real Madrid and Gran Canaria, where he played more than seventy games in two seasons for the latter-mentioned team. Diop stood out with his complete defensive package, while being productive on the offensive end as well. This led to him seeing action in both the Liga ACB and Eurocup as well.
The readiness is intriuging. However, he’s still scratching the surface of his potential. I believe in Diop being a no-brainer for the first round in June 2026, while the emphasis of this scouting report will be a feasible role to grow into and showcasing his long-term potential as well.
Physical Profile
At 7-foot-1, the Senegal-born has tremendous mobility. Light feet, fluid hips and surprisingly well lateral speed. He bulked up well, while he can still add strength and muscle to his frame despite being at 230 pounds. There is listing available, but I expect Diop to measure out with a wingspan of +6 inches at the NBA Draft Combine.
The main appeal is the switchable character of his profile. The last step needs work, but overall Diop is comfortable keeping his balance. He has big and quick hands while showing good vertical pop as well. Continuing to improve his core while adding more upper body strength should be the main focus in the next few years.
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Defense
Pick-and-roll
Diop doesn’t rely on drop coverage by any means. Teams can pressure the ball handler with hard-hedges or even blitzes because of the lateral speed and good footwork. The first two plays show examples. However, the positioning is the area of focus for Diop. He’s not closing driving angles, but making sure he’s getting to the ball handler who then gets bailed out because the driving lane opens up. The second possession is interesting where we see a timely switch by Diop, but he pivots with his right instead of left, making it easy for the scorer to attack his feet with the blocking five clearing the driving lane on the strong side. The last step needs work.
On the other hand, Diop does the right things in drop coverage. He’s playing to close entry to the paint. And those are the shots defenses are willing to give up. The third play has him close the angle and forcing the ball handler to either pass or take the floater. The positioning is solid, as he’s immediately in box-out mode after the miss. The last play has him against the ball handler after the screening action, again forcing the ball handler to make a decision before he’s in the lane. Overall, Diop’s versatility as a pick-and-roll defender stands out tremendously. The best part is that NBA teams can use their five to blitz and hard-hedge, while the clear focus on reducing paint touches is a good habit that serves him well, despite Arizona State’s losing season.
Closeouts
Positioning of the last step remains one of Diop’s areas of development. The first play has him pivot out wide and far, touching the perimeter whereafter he’s burned off the dribble. He has a decent first step and good lateral speed, but that’s not a good position to use to compensate for mistakes. He has to keep the focus of denying ball handlers entry on their rim pressure. Combined with being too reactionary, with the second play as an example, showing Diop giving control to ball handlers, instead of forcing them to beat him while he’s playing to close the angles.
On the other hand, the basketball IQ is very good. The third play shows him slide his feet properly, where he saw the ball handler trying to draw a potential four-point play, where Diop didn’t allow the opponent to bump into him and take the unbalanced shot. The only area of attention here is that he must immediately go into box-out mode, whereas he stood above the break to see if the ball went in. Overall, playing the angles is a positive part of his defense when he plays drop. The fourth play shows an example. However, he’s not assertive enough when players try to finish, as he gave the ball handler a free angle at the rim. At 1.8 personal fouls per game in close to 30 minutes, that shows a lack of toughness, where my philosophy revolves around less fouls not being a good part for prospects.
Post-ups
Diop posted a tremendous 7.5% block rate. And his post-up defense is a big part of his success on that end. Great body control and immense toughness when he’s forced to be physical. With that I mean is that Diop gives too much space to the scorer in the first play to find the finishing angle over him. The size and length are great value, but easier to bypass for gifted scorers if he’s not playing much more physical inside the paint. Whereas the second possession shows how good his defense looks when he does play very physical.
The lack of fouls, as mentioned above, are not in Diop’s favor. The third play has him gently pushing the post-up scorer a few inches away after the post-entry pass. He’s closing the angles like a master. That’s how they teach the game to young fives in Spain is to not rely on brute strength, but simply force a lack of balance and keep the angles tight and pockets closed. If he’s being more assertive and gives less control to scorers, with the fourth play as an example, Diop has the potential to be one of the toughest interior presences in the NBA. Even if he’s pushed out of balance, the top upper body strength still leads to a lack of balance for scorers, with the last play below showing an example.
Cuts and defending away from the ball
Diop processes the game well, but he’s not consistent. At times he looks slow, with the first play being an example. That’s him still growing in his role and adjusting to the faster college game compared to the style in Europe. When he has sight of the ball handler, he’s much better in recognizing motion around him. The second play shows an example with him closing the angle of the roller and forcing the bad finish. Even if that ended up as a make, it would still be good defense on Diop’s end.
He’s also good at recognizing his rotations. The third play shows an example. Closes the entry to the post-up scorer, and immediately helps to close the baseline. Despite it leading to a wide-open finish and dropoff pass to his assignment, Diop did fantastic in covering for his teammates. The fourth play has him hacking the scorer when he got bumped off his spot. That’s a good decision as well, as making fives earn their points from the charity stripe being a must. At least the recognition to do so. Overall, Diop shows a lot of versatility on the defensive end, where it’s clear that he’ll improve a team’s defensive rating with him on the floor.
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Offense
Pick-and-pop
Floor-stretching is a bonus with Diop. He’s not shooting at volume, although the potential is there. The intriuging part of his game is how he’s creating paint touches by putting the ball on the floor. Decent handles, with little creativity but he’s using brute force to get both feet in the paint. He’s rushing his layups, which needs some work, but he’s creating good open looks off the dribble. That’s adding a new dynamic to what he can become in the NBA. Regardless, finishing at 76.0% on 100 attempts is fantastic. The second play shows another example of his strength being gravity that defenders respect. He’s finishing through contact. The lack of composure leads to his misses, the touch is good.
Smooth hesitation move off the short roll in the third possession. He’s creating separation by using his strength as leverage helping him smoothen his creativity, with the hesi being an example. The lack of calmness is the biggest struggle for Diop. That’s what he has to improve. But when he does, he’ll be lethal scoring out of closeouts. That’s how he’ll help to space the floor better. On top of that, the floater in the fourth play with a clear process in the fifth possession shows what Diop can continue to grow into.
Creation out of post-ups
With Diop’s great efficiency inside the paint, the focus should be on his misses to see what he must improve. Overall, he’s versatile as a scorer as he’s finishing off both shoulders while being fluid in his movement. Great feet, brute strength leading to separation with him focusing on hooks and push-finishes. The first two plays below show him getting to his spots while getting enough separation. The other side of the coin is that he’s not prioritizes passing as much as he could. The strength is going to translate in the NBA. He’s not going to need much adjustment time. The third play has him immediately punish the mismatch with the gentle push before he’s getting the post-entry pass.
The only area of attention is keeping the ball high in these occasions. I saw him lower the ball numerous times to power back up. That bails defenders out to where they can hack him, despite Diop being a 73.5% free-throw shooter on over four attempts from the charity stripe. On the other hand, he’s composed when he’s seeking the angle. But the fourth play shows him forcing the triple coverage in the paint, but that’s where he should try to pass the ball out of that position. Overall, the positioning is tremendous. The fifth play has him force the defender off his spot and playing booty-ball to find the angle underneath the basket. Even when he’s further away from the basket. he’s recognizing the right lane, again using booty ball in the last play below on his baseline drive before the soft-touch finish. Great angle-creator with power being his tool of leverage.
Pick-and-roll scoring and play-finishing
Diop is also a fantastic screener. That’s the fundamentals 101 where Spanish teams prioritize screening above everything when they develop fives. He’s not rushing his rolls, that’s an habit his American peers often struggle with. The first play shows him put the wall, see what the ball handler does and adjust his decision accordingly. That’s how he’s successful in finding his opportunities to score, and even showcase his midrange jumper and floater.
The touch around the rim is fantastic, and he’s showing creativity off the short roll to create better angles for himself. The first three plays below show good examples. Diop won’t be a volume play-finisher, but his screening is the greatest asset for him to collect a few field goal attempts on that end, where he’s a clear value adder in NBA teams wanting to force switches.
However, he’s not a true vertical lob threat because of the lack of verticality. Not an issue, as he won’t fit in the mold of a energy five, but more a rim-deterrant and interior-presence five. Overall, the roll-man game is at a very high level, with the fundamentals that he has from his time in Spain to be a difference-maker among his peers.
Passing, ball-moving, and playmaking
At 20 assists to 29 turnovers, the numbers may show bad returns. But he’s a born playmaker who’s simply not utilized enough on that end at Arizona State. Fantastic in his execution of his reads. He’s reading the game very well, and the surprising part is that he’s off the dribble executing reads like a true wing. The first play shows an example. Recognizes the angle in the tight pocket while putting the ball on the floor.
The second play has him put the immediate side pass after luring the help defense with the one-dribble off the short roll. Fantastic stuff, as Diop maximizes the angle for the scorer before making the pass. He’s also very composed, with him using pass-fakes to find the cutter in the fourth possession.
Diop is without any doubt one of the top playmaking forwards in this draft. He’s fantastic in reading and executing plays. Overall, he should be utilized more as a passer, but even if that doesn’t happen, the sample size is good enough for him to prove NBA scouts how he can add more creativity to a team’s offense.
NBA Draft Projection
Diop should be a lock for the top 20 in the 2026 NBA Draft. The combination of brute strength, high fundamentals and potential self-creation which could lead to him being a four as well is the main sell. The lack of composure and being too reactionary on defense is the area of development.
But overall, the strengths are big advantages among his peers. There is a clear role for him to grow into a starter in the NBA, and he has a NBA-ready body to play a role early in his career. Staying in college wouldn’t benefit him, he should be in the NBA as soon as possible.
At over 275 (!) articles in 3 years, Ersin’s NBA Draft Newsletter is your go-to for draft content. Make sure you subscribe at $6 per month for much more!